It can be alarming for a woman to receive an abnormal pap test, but it doesn’t always mean that cancer is present. Any change in cervical cells that might indicate a precancerous condition can cause an abnormal pap test. This can result from an inflammation of the cells in the cervix caused by a bacterial, yeast or viral infection. Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy or the use of birth control pills can also cause abnormal pap test results.

The most common cause of an abnormal pap test is the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that lowers a woman’s immunity to other infections. Most HPV clears up on its own, but sometimes it will cause a distortion of cervical cells to develop. These changes can cause cervical dysplasia, a precancerous condition. Whenever this occurs, treatment is strongly recommended to prevent the dysplasia from developing into cancer.

Other STDs can cause benign cellular changes that will yield abnormal pap smear results, and most are easily treated. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis are vaginal infections caused by bacteria, and each of these can be eliminated by antibiotics. Both partners must be treated, or these infections most likely will be passed back and forth.

Genital herpes is another infection that can cause abnormal pap test results. There is no cure for this virus. After an individual becomes infected with herpes, it remains latent in the body and causes occasional flare-ups.

Vaginal yeast infections can also cause abnormal pap test results. Candida albicans is a fungus that is often present in the body and causes problems only when there is an overgrowth. It can be transmitted sexually, but is more often caused by the use of antibiotics. Food allergies and hormonal changes caused by pregnancy can contribute to the growth of this yeast-like fungus.

An abnormal pap test can also indicate the presence of cervical cancer, but a woman shouldn’t panic when she receives notice of abnormal pap test results. This simply means that there have been some changes that require further investigation. When this occurs, her doctor will recommend further testing to see whether the changes were caused by an easily treatable condition or whether cancer is present. Great advances have been made in the treatment of cervical cancer, so when it is discovered in the early stages, the vast majority of women with that diagnosis recover and go on to lead healthy lives.